A reward of $103,500 has been announced as authorities investigate the death of a federally protected Mexican gray wolf in Arizona.<\/p>\n
The female wolf, identified as F2979, was discovered on November 7, northwest of Flagstaff.<\/p>\n
While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department confirmed her death, they emphasized it was unrelated to management actions. The cause remains undisclosed.<\/p>\n
F2979 was part of a recovery program aimed at reviving the population of Mexican gray wolves, which nearly vanished in the 1970s.<\/p>\n
After being captured, fitted with a GPS collar, and released into the wild in July, she roamed outside the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA), a designated Conservation zone.<\/p>\n
Officials were working to return her to this region when she was found dead.<\/p>\n
The USFWS has offered $50,000 for information leading to a conviction in the case, while additional contributions from other agencies and private groups have raised the total reward to over $100,000.<\/p>\n
The Western Watersheds Project, a Conservation group, called for strict legal action if foul play is confirmed.<\/p>\n
Referring to F2979 as \u201cHope,\u201d the organization\u2019s Arizona and New Mexico director, Cyndi Tuell, stated, \u201cIf someone killed Hope, the full weight of the federal and state law should be brought to bear.\u201d<\/p>\n